A Protector's Tail
by Storyjumper
Summary: This story is about Itachi and a girl by the name of Haku. This story is to explain why Itachi murdered his family, and the affects that had on not only him but also his brother. But this story also mentions that all of his actions were foretold. This story was written a long time ago so try not to judge writing style to harshly. Correct me if you see anything wrong
1. Things are set in place

The night was clear, and the air was cool. The full moon was at its peek, and the cries of two newly born children split the night's peacefulness. Moments later the children's cries were joined by a chorus of howls. In the forest that surrounded the manner that the two children had been born into. Around the manner lived a pack of fierce wolves that had been known for killing. The wolves as if by some strange call gathered around the house. What humans didn't know is they were called to meet the queen of all living things. Humans had long since forgotten her completely, but now she had fused herself with one of the children. A little girl. The other child was a boy and thus of no concern to the pack. The leader of the wolf pack stepped onto the front porch and yanked the door off its hinges. No one came to stop them for at the time no one other than the two families lived in the house. The whole pack of wolves followed their leader into the house and came into the room where the girl had been born. The leader stepped closer to the bed and bowed down to the little girl. The girl's father tried to block the wolves. The infant squirmed out of her mother's arms wobbled around her father before he could grab her.

Once the girl stood well within striking range of the wolves they sang the most beautiful song for her. This was to welcome back their queen home, and to renew their pledge of loyalty to the queen as their ancestors had once done. The girl reached out to scratch the wolf lovingly behind his ears. She then went and petted its mate. She was a beautiful wolf with a reddish brown coat. The wolf leader pulled a small wooden flute seemingly out of nowhere and placed it at the infant's feet. The girl took the token and smiled as she whispered into the old wolf's ear,

"You are always welcome in this place little one." She scratched the wolf again behind his ears. "But I must request that humans are left alone. They could use your help and in return you have their protection, but remember not all will keep this pact." It nodded then the pack turned, walked back through the manner, and left. When the girl was returned to her mother's arms her mother saw two more signs her daughter was special. The moon was full, and on the girl's wrist was the mark of a sealed spirit. The mother traced the intricate swirling design on her daughter's wrist. She knew upon birth the girl and the spirit were one being. The spirit in question was and ancient being known as the Medeina, the queen of living creatures and forests.

The girl was hence named Haku. In the animal kingdom of which the spirit ruled, the name meant Song from the heavens. But to humans of the father's culture the name meant gentle warrior.

In the village at the same time as Haku and Isora were born another child was born. To a family called the Uchiha. They named their son Itachi. The mother went to a fortune teller to ask about their son's future. She said,

"Your son will be powerful; he will be liked by his classmates and all others. But there will be one who will fall in love with him and him her. She will become his teacher and very dear friend and she will have a great and powerful spirit born within her. You will know her by the mark she bares on her wrist. This friend will make a promise to protect him. She will keep her word, but she will be kidnapped by taking your sons place in chains. The blame will fall on your whole family and you will pay the greatest cost. But the girl will not forget her promise and she will do what she can to help him for the good. If you don't find a way to stop her kidnapping your only two sons will wage war with one another. They will bring the destruction of the village and help bring Orochimaru to power."

One year later on the out skirts of the manor Isora's parents fell very ill. Haku's parents worked tirelessly to save their friends and though they lived in a small community with the greatest doctors. They passed on into death. Before their deaths they made Haku's parents swear to look after little Isora. Haku's parents agreed and adopted little Isora. He and Haku became as close as blood siblings. Together their powers grew because where they lived with powerful healers and ninja alike called the manor home. With as so many teachers living in the manner they were able to excel easily and quickly.

At age three these two kids were cable of doing work that a grown man with great abilities found difficult.

Age five, when Haku and Isora were working in the gardens. When a voice came from within Haku,

"Your powers have yet to develop to their full potential. It is time you learned to harness some of my power. If you do not, you will be a danger to your family. Go out into the forest and you will find your teachers waiting." Haku was afraid and ran to her mother and father. She told them everything the voice had said. Her parents shared a look with one another. They knew whose voice had spoken to their daughter and knew it would be wise to do what the voice instructed. So Haku set off alone into the forest, where she found a strange collection of animals gathered in a clearing. A female tiger sat on the opposite edge of a small clearing. Two timber wolves lay wrestling in the middle of the clearing; one male and one female. A falcon sat perched on a low hanging branch watching the two wolves play. Then Haku noticed the small black ball of fur curled up on the tiger's paws;a Capuchin monkey. A twig snapped under Haku's boot and five pairs of eyes snapped to her. Haku's breath caught in fear. The voice inside chuckled, "Do not fear child, they are your teachers. Go greet them, they will not bite you." Haku stepped out from the cover of the trees nervously. Each animal rose walked forward creating a small semicircle. Each animal bowed slightly and introduced themselves. The wolves were Anubis and Megami. They were a mated couple. The tiger introduced herself as Kasai. Kuki was the falcon and Saru was the monkey. After introductions the misfit band took off to begin their yearlong training session.

In the village Itachi had become very powerful and the other children looked up to him and respected him. As Itachi grew they watched for the girl who would love him, but Itachi showed no interest in any girl. As they watched over their son they breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe the time the seer spoke of would not come to pass.

Two year later Haku returned home at the age of seven; it had taken months to get back home through the far away war torn countries. Isora was watching out his window as his sister came up the road with her animals at her side. Over joyed that she had finally returned, he raced out to meet her. He embraced his sister so tightly that she cringed a little.

"I missed you so much." He muttered tears rising up to choke him.

"Not as much as I missed you Isora." she replied back. Isora stepped back to see if anything had changed about his sister. Her eyes seemed to have dimmed like a piece of her soul was missing. He asked,

"What is it Haku?" she looked at him then reached for a string that she had around her neck and pulled it out revealing a white crystal. He knew that it could only be one thing, a spirit crystal; which was a stone with a powerful spirit's Chakra crystallized. The stone his sister held now was something whole countries fought to obtain. Only, it felt wrong, like it was incomplete.

"It's not finished. I need to make a bridge so that way the power in the stone can tapped without fear of injury." The spirit Isora remembered was too dangerous for a normal human to use because it was so powerful that it consumed the user. Haku tucked the stone back in her shirt and the siblings then made their way back into the manor to greet their parents. Isora didn't ask when Haku withheld information about the stone from their parents.

Haku's parents were ecstatic to have their daughter home and unharmed. Though they tried not to notice the small changes in their daughter, it was impossible not to notice. The lack of color in her eyes, how her smile always seemed sad, and her soft crying after waking up to nightmares. The animals comforted her as best as they could but not all things could be comforted away.


	2. Changes

Years later when Haku and Isora were ten years old they were working in a field when from the sky came a loud blood chilling screech. Kuki was circling the house and had raised an alarm. It could only mean there was trouble at the house. Haku and Isora dropped their tools and ran for the house. When they reached the front door it was swinging dangerously on one hinge. They stepped cautiously into the house, and what they saw would haunt them for the rest of their lives. There was blood everywhere, painted on the walls, and bathed on the floor. Kunai were stuck in the walls as well. Their parents had put up an unexpected fight. When they turned into the kitchen they saw five men with cuts and lacerations etched into their arms and the men were standing around the bodies of Haku's parents. All of them wore hideous demon masks and were dressed entirely in black. Haku's eyes began to swim with tears but she refused to cry. The men turned and confronted the two kids.

"Now little girl, come with us, we have been looking for you." Said the first man

"Over my dead body.'' screamed Isora rushing the man weaponless before Haku could reach out and stop him.

"That can be arranged kid." Smirked the fourth man. He disappeared in a small cloud of smoke. He repaired behind Isora. By the time Haku saw him her brother was out cold from a swift chop to the back. Fear rose into until Haku realized Isora was still alive. Then anger spilled into her blood. The anger fueled by power. The man laughed,

"I did even try. I thought these kids were powerful?" he laughed again. But he stopped when He saw the Haku's face was changing. It was growing into a mussel and her teeth turned to fangs. Her fingers stretched, sharpened, and finally harden. She grew a tail and at the end it was like an axe. Her body and arms were covered in green scales. Her legs shrank down and began sprout fur that was white with black stripes. The man stepped away from Isora, panic started to rise up in him. When Haku looked up at him her eyes were cat like, her irises were no longer sky blue. They were now bright yellow. Chakra began to pour out of her. It flowed like a living green river, spilling out, then curling around her body like a cocoon. The spirit in Haku had surfaced and taken over her. She lunged for the man closest to Isora, her claws impaling him then her tail twisted in into his body and cut the man in half, blood bathed the floor and walls. The other men started to back off, but the movement only drew Medeina's attention. She grinned at them the in a split second she was standing in the midst of the other men.

"The punishment shall fight the crime. Murdering two parents trying to kill a son and kidnap a daughter. Your punishment is death." The Medeina swung her hand through the other four before they could react. Blood splashed on the walls and soaked Haku. Only once Medeina was sure all men were dead and the bodies were mutilated beyond recognition did she give Haku back her body. All trace of the Medeina had slowly vanished.

Haku rushed to her brother's side, checking for a pulse she sighed in relief. Yes, he was still alive. She looked up at her parents, only glancing at their torn bodies. Knowing in her heart that they were already gone.

A sudden pain burned her mind, knocking the wind out of her. She didn't even notice the blood drip out of her mouth as she withered on the floor next to her brother. Then a voice spoke to her, the same voice that had come to her many years before.

"Your time to teach is now, get what you need, and go to Konoha. There will a boy named Itachi. You must help him and he will help you. You must go alone. Take the spirit crystal with you and guard well child. But first your parents must be laid to rest." A wave of power rippled through Haku the dispersed. "Someone is coming to take care of you parents."

"But Isora-."

"Will be just fine child." The voice cooed gently, "You are now old enough to bare my mark and all gifts that comes from that. Bare all of these things with pride, my child. I present you with the sword Rasneh. Be careful for with this blade takes not only Chakra, strength, but a person's life and devours it. If anyone but you touches it or tries to wield it they will be burned. I have one last piece of advice to impart to you. Remember who you are, and what you are; human, warrior, and my chosen one." The pain in her head slowly ebbed away her. She looked up at the mirror. And she saw she had white cat ears, and long tail, white with winding black stripes. On her forehead was the symbol of the Medeina, branded in bold black ink. Looking down at her brother, she sighed. More than anything she did not want to abandon her brother. But if this attack had proved anything, it was that people knew she existed and would kill to get her power. She stood up and looked around. Searching the house she found the house empty, only her parents had been harmed. Which meant everyone had made it to the secret trap door.

Haku brought her brother into the giant sitting room away from the blood and gore. She could feel people coming. The ones that Medeina had sent for? Haku went the front door and two men stood there. Each man wore a simple mask and had a wide range of weapons strapped to them. She could feel their shock, she caught site of herself in the sliding glass door. It looked like she had gone swimming in blood. A bloody tail flicked irritably behind her and her ears were laid as if she expected an attack.

"We were told to come quickly." The smaller man explained bending down slowly so as not to frighten Haku. She nodded numbly and turned to lead them into the kitchen. One man swore under his breath, and the bigger man nearly wretched at the sight of the bodies.

"I need to bury my parents." The smaller man put a hand on her shoulder.

"We will take care of it. Go rest." The two men worked quickly first burying Haku's parents the picking up the pieces of the attacker. Haku went to the trap door and let those people inside know it was safe to come out. She left before they could see her state. She went to a wash room and washed her face and hands as best as she could.

By the time she came out the kitchen had been cleaned all the bodies removed. The two men took attacker's bodies away and were miles away when Isora woke up. He began to shiver hard glancing around desperately for Haku. Isora was about to go look for her when she came around the corner and ran to him. She hugged him tight then rubbed his arms to help warm him up.

"It will be all right Isora we are safe and so is everyone else." She cooed in a calming voice.

"Haku what happened to, y- y- you have a tail and ears like a cat and that mark!" He pointed at the brand on her forehead.

"Shush, shush, Isora, calm down I'm fine."

"How did you get them?" there was a long pause like she was dreading telling him. Then finally she said,

"My powers were fully awaken and it is my time to leave. I must go to the village alone." she whispered.

"No." whispered Isora clinging to his sister desperately trying to hang onto his only family left. Haku gently pried his arms from around her and held his hands in hers.

"Yes."

"But, but I need you Haku! Now more than ever." sputtered Isora hugging his sister again. Haku smiled and said,

"You don't need me silly, you have the people that live here, and further more you are stronger than most of the people here."

"Alright." he didn't like it but his sister was right.

"Come help me pack." Isora nodded and they both went to Haku's room pulling out an old hare skin bag. Haku packed up some food, clothing, medicine, a small scope, jars, maps, money, the new sword, a few kunai, and shuriken. Isora found a thin black ribbon and tied it around her fore head.

"This way, people looking to harm you aren't given an easy way to find you." The he left the room coming back with a dark green cloak. He threw it around his sister and tied it. "This should hide your tail and ears so no one suspects you're anything but a traveler." Haku glanced at the fine fabric recognizing her mother's favorite traveling cloak. She looked to her brother. "You know she would have wanted you to have it." The animals had finally gotten back from hunting. Each gave their condolences and apologized for not being there to defend her family. Haku smiled at her unusual little family.

"This was no one's fault but the men who attacked." Then after saying their good byes they set off and walked until they reached the wall surrounding Konoha.


End file.
